This work started in 2018 at a time when I was particularly interested in the architectural forms of trees in winter. I gave myself a brief to create Christmas cards that could be hung as a piece of art, that the whole product would be 100% eco friendly and that the box set of greeting cards would connect people with the beauty of nature, trees and stars in wintertime. At the time friends had mentioned to me that they felt more depressed in winter. I noticed my own mood change when I spent time in winter and gazing at the patterns of tangles of branches, which we can see more clearly once the leaves fall off. Winter is actually an incredible time of transformation in nature.
Sleeping trees surround us in winter, giants standing still as perfect architectural sculptures, reaching their heavy arms up to the stars. There is something about the solitude of trees in winter as they brace themselves through the harsh weather. They make a simple yet profound transformation every year, a perfect example of the cycle of life both of physically and spiritually. Seen through the lens of a tree we can begin to view our own life in this way as we each navigate our own personal tough winters, periods of growth, times of renewal, work and finally the joy of a perfect summer’s day. Trees make magical transformations, buds appearing from what seemed like death. There is deep trust in the way trees move through the seasons.
I began to work on trees again in 2020 and now trees are an integral part of my work. Many of the trees I draw are trees that I know or pass by on walks.
Reflecting now on this work I don’t think I can draw one single tree because they are so much more than the trunk and branches. A tree is also its roots, the landscape it lives in and all the seen and unseen beings that live in it and under it. A tree is a habitat, a food supply, an oxygen maker, a life force and so much more. It’s difficult to put all of this into a drawing but if I do draw trees again, I hope my work reflects this.